Chapter 9point5
by kaleidoscopeepocsodielak
Summary: What happens when Michael and Raphael are left alone together? Will they strangle each other like Jane always feared, or will something else happen entirely? Slash. Please Review
1. Primera Parte

_As you know, Jane Villanueva was accidentally artificially inseminated_ ("But I never even had sex!")_ thanks to Dr. Luisa Alver, who also happens to be Rafael Solano's sister, you know, the guy who makes Jane feel like her heart is about to explode! But there was a complication because Michael Cordero, the cute detective who has been in love with Jane for the last three years put a ring on her finger not six weeks ago. Jane was torn between a passionate attraction for the ultimate hunk without the name Hugh Jackman, and a safe relationship based on years of trust. Of course, that trust was shattered when Jane found out that Michael had knowledge of an affair between Petra Solano and Rafael's "best friend" who has since been murdered by Mr. Unknown Evil himself Sin Rostro. A devastated Jane broke off the engagement, leaving a heartbroken Michael to stew in his regrets and hatred for Rafael. And there was also the little sump'n-sump'n going on between Michael and his partner Nadine Hansan even though Michael clearly has no feelings for the strangely one-dimensional female detective, but that's getting to be way too much information for a summary, so let's dive right in…_

Chapter 9.5

Primera Parte

_ When Rafael was a boy in high school, his father gave him his every heart's desire, from the Aston Martin Vanquish to Spring Breaks in Brazil. What Daddy Solano didn't know…or rather did not care to know…was that Rafael used each of these exorbitant gifts as an excuse to try out new things. He gave his virginity away like it was a sample at a mall food court to a pretty little redhead in Brasilia. Rafael was 15 at the time. At first he had been a bit nervous, like a Chihuahua hiding from a falcon. But when Rosalita the redhead wrapped her mouth around his…hehem…underage equipment, he did not look back. You can guess the rest. From then on, he looked for new conquests wherever he went. Along the way, he also picked up a taste for wine and beer and reefer and beer and tequila and beer and gin. Did I mention the beer? He put away more than a priest in a Stephen King novel._

_ I say all this to put in perspective Rafael's mindset when, at the age of eighteen, found a cutie at the bar named Sam. Sam's long, blonde hair and piercing blue eyes were what did the trick. Rafael went from _ﬧ_ to / in no time flat. Having dragged Sam back to his hotel room, Rafael stripped the clothing from his one-night-stand's body and entered Sam with hardly a moment for foreplay. When he awoke the next morning with Sam's arms wrapped around his body, Rafael realized his mistake. Sam, it transpired, was not his typical lay. You can imagine, I'm sure, his shock at feeling another man's hard cock against his own. From that day on, Rafael found himself freer to choose whatever sexual partner caught his eye, from voluptuous women to studly men._

_ Now to the present drama…_

Michael followed Nadine down the hole in the floor, feeling a touch of fear as he reached for the weapon strapped to his hip. Having fired his gun only a handful of times outside the shooting range, the idea of using his piece to take down a criminal both excited and terrified him. Of course, he had no desire to let Nadine know of his hesitation. Focusing on the thought of cuffing Sin Rostro and saying some as-yet-unthought-of witty thing allowed Michael to push away all feelings of inadequacy.

A gasp from Detective Hansan startled Michael. He drew his weapon in a second, prepared to shoot at whatever antagonistic villain popped out of nowhere. Nadine shot him an exasperated look and signaled for him to stow the weapon. He followed her pointing finger to a cluster of rats climbing over each other as if their lives depended upon reaching their destination before any other rodent.

"You're such a girl," Nadine scoffed at Michael.

The two went on in silence, following the tunnel for what seemed hours, though it was most likely less than an half hour. In all their searching, they found no mystery man, only a whole lot of rat shit that stuck to the treads of their shoes. When at last they came to the tunnel's end, they found themselves half a football field away from the hotel. Starlight shone down on the pair of detectives. Just a few feet away, a cedar bench stood beside a thick tree, thick with leaves and unseasonable blossoms. Seizing the moment, Nadine grasped Michael's head at the sides and forced his lips down upon her own. Aside from the icky tunnel smell, the setting could not have been more romantic.

_ Well…that's what Nadine thought anyway. All Michael could think was…'I guess we're no closer to catching Sin Rostro than we were before.' But that quickly became 'What is this crazy chick thinking?'_

Michael pushed her away without a third thought. "What are you doing?" he demanded.

"Just finishing what we started up in that hotel room," Nadine whined. "You were all for it just a minute ago."

"Yeah…and now I'm all fresh from yet another disappointment and we smell like a city dump!"

Nadine groaned and stomped off. "Fine. I'll see you at the station tomorrow morning, _detective_." She hissed the title as if it were the most damning accusation she could have made.

_In truth, Michael had been deep in thought during the exploration of the tunnel. Mainly, his thoughts had been on Jane and Rafael and how much he detested that guy. 'Jane + Rafael =The Most Ludicrous Couple EVER!' But how could he ever convince Jane of this fact? He believed he would never know._

So as Michael watched Nadine walk away with his chance at sex, he turned toward the bench and slumped into it. Heaving a deep, mournful sigh, Michael ran his fingers through his curly, dirty blond hair. He sniffed the salty air and stared off into the distance.

_Cue the sad guitar._

_ Meanwhile, Michael's nemesis, Rafael, has just come away from his hotel's bar, carrying a few pints of beer in his belly. As you may recall, Rafael was not all that keen on abstaining from sex in order to be with Jane, but then told her he could go along with it. Although Jane did not know it, and, to an extent, Rafael did not know it, he did not want to go along with it. But this is a telenovela, so we know it._

Rafael strutted from the bar, aimless in his goings. Foiling his soon-to-be-ex-wife's plots had that effect. He felt as though he owned the world and that nothing could possibly go wrong. That is when Rafael spotted him. A cute blond sitting under the blossoming tree. It was perfect. Unbuttoning the top four buttons on his plum-colored oxford, Rafael did all he could to make sure the man wearing suspenders could not miss his amazing pectorals. It would not be enough to showcase nipples, but a few chest hairs might show up.

Setting himself gently beside the stranger, Rafael asked, "So what's a guy like you doing all alone on a night like this?"

When Rafael turned to look into the stranger's eyes, however, he discovered that it was no stranger at all. Hate-filled eyes glared back at him.

"Coming to gloat, huh?" Michael huffed. "Y'know, just because Jane left me doesn't mean I won't get her back. When she finds out what you're really like, she'll wonder why she ever questioned our relationship in the first place!"

Rafael snorted. "Keep dreaming."

"I'm serious. I'll find whatever it is you're hiding from police. It's just a matter of time."

Rafael would have formed a zinger worth remembering had Michael's shiny blue eyes not caught his attention. He had never noticed how singularly beautiful they were. Turning away from them proved as impossible as removing metal from a super magnet. He had to use all his strength not to move in for a closer look.

"That safe may have been empty," Michael went on, "but a guy like you is smart enough to cover his tracks. But when you slip up, I'll be ready."

"You don't like me," Rafael managed to say.

_In the history of obvious statements, there have been three which surpass Rafael's most recent statement. The top pick being: "Sleeping pills may cause drowsiness." But let's not pick on the man too much._

"You don't miss much do you?" Michael replied, no attempt to hide his sarcasm.

_Okay…maybe Michael is not bound by my suggestions._

"What did I ever do to earn this treatment?" Rafael asked, still entranced.

"You took Jane from me," Michael accused.

"But you didn't like me before then," Rafael objected. "It can't all be jealousy, can it?"

Michael stared back, his mouth agape, as if he were trying to speak but he had lost the ability. Rafael smiled as Michael gazed up at the tree. A single flower petal fell. The detective traced the petal's path with his eyes, amazed when it hovered between his face and Rafael's. Without wasting a moment, Michael grasped Rafael's cheeks and forced a kiss onto his nemesis's lips. To both men's surprise, Rafael returned the kiss.

_Of course it is important to note that neither one of them noticed that Sin Rostro's mystery man was sneaking back into the tunnel from which Michael and Nadine had emerged less than ten minutes before. They were too…shall we say…preoccupied._

Michael broke away from the kiss, his face a mixture of pleasure and horror. In all his life, Michael had never experimented with other men. In fact, the idea had never crossed his mind. Not consciously anyway. He had kissed six different women and slept with three of them. The fact that he felt his groin sweating and growing for a man he hated made no sense. Yet here he sat, perfectly content to continue snogging the father of his virgin ex-fiancé's unborn baby. The feel of stubble on his lips had been a pleasant if unexpected texture. The hand cradling the left side of his neck was both strong and gentle. This experience made no sense, yet he wanted a repeat.

Seconds after breaking away, Michael thrust forward once again and kissed Rafael's top lip. Meeting no resistance, the detective slipped his tongue into the other man's mouth. The shared saliva dripped back into Michael's mouth as he reached for the back of Rafael's head. He felt Rafael's smooth hands reach under his shirt, caressing his back. He moaned appreciatively, but he knew at the same time that he wanted those hands somewhere else. The pressure beneath his slacks only increased when Rafael's chest pressed against his own.

When Michael could take no more without another breath, he broke away again and inhaled as if they were the last molecules of Oxygen left. Unsure of what he was doing, Michael ended the embrace and touched a palm to his forehead.

"We could go to my room," Rafael offered. "Is that what you want, Michael?"

He almost said, "Of course not! I don't swing that way!" It is what he had told Officer Landes four years ago when the other rookie had propositioned him. Why should it be any different?

_At this moment, Michael wondered what Jane would say if she ever caught him making eyes at another man, let alone sharing lips with one. But that thought left his mind almost as soon as it arrived. The one thing that made Michael forget all about the girl of his dreams was a simple touch._

Rafael's hand rested on Michael's right leg, inching closer to the raised tent.

"W-what about…yessss."

Rafael stole one last kiss before leading the detective toward the hotel. It did not even cross his mind that people might notice him walking with another man toward the elevator. The possibility of passing Jane on the way did not even occur to him as a possibility. All that mattered at that moment was finding out how long Michael's weapon would be. How Jane could have resisted doing more with Michael than mere kisses strained belief.

The journey to the elevator lasted too long for his liking. Rafael wanted to hold Michael's ass and squeeze. He wanted those lips on his again. He wanted to kiss every muscle on the toned detective's body. But he could not do that yet. If he did, Michael might come to his senses and remember that he was still in love with Jane. He might bail. But it never happened. They entered the elevator without anyone sending them a second look.

Of course they did not notice. Too many of Rafael's employees had witnessed the two men arguing with each other throughout the course of Michael's investigation. No doubt they thought the two of them were heading upstairs to argue some more.

_That is not to say that an argument would not arise, for we are dealing with two males who like to be in control. And on telenovela, anything can happen._


	2. Segunda Parte

_Welcome back. In case you missed the first part, here's a review of what is happening so far…Michael and Nadine were on the trail of The Man Without a Face, more commonly known as Sin Rostro, the creepy scary guy who has been dropping bodies all over the place. Their lead went bust, so Nadine tried to satiate her more lustful desires, but Michael, strangely, rebuffed her advances. Also, Rafael and Michael surprised themselves when their bickering led to smooching. And now, back to our story._

Chapter 9.5

Segunda Parte

_When Jane was a little girl at the tender age of twelve, she fell in love. She knew it was love because he did not retaliate when she punched his arm. His name was Luca, and he had the most genuine, pearly white smile she had ever seen. She had dreams of how perfect their wedding day would be, even writing them in her **private** green notebook._

Jane carried the notebook wherever she went. Back on the first day of school, she had pestered Mrs. Sanchez into letting her borrow seven different-colored markers so that she could emblazon the front cover with the rainbow message "private" so that no one could possibly miss it. Whenever she had a moment to herself, she would write, nurturing that part of herself she believed to be nothing more than an unattainable dream. A dream like her mother's singing.

An obnoxious buzz from the intercom informed all twenty-seven of the excited children that it was lunch time. Only Mrs. Sanchez and her persnickety routine prevented them all from making a mad dash for the cafeteria. Instead, feeling like overgrown kindergarteners, they lined up along the chalkboard. Jane clutched her brown paper lunch bag, green notebook, and pencil close to her chest. She laughed airily at a comment Lucinda made behind her before turning to send an equally amusing comment back her way. Mrs. Sanchez, however, screamed for quiet. Suddenly, Jane felt a desire to shrink down to an atomic size and hide her blushing face. It was not as though she never found herself in trouble before, but it was not a thing she sought out either.

In the cafeteria, Luca put a hand on her shoulder and reminded her that everything would be alright. Jane sighed as the image of her extravagant wedding dress passed through her mind. She would be holding ten golden roses and a single red one at the center as a folk guitar strummed the Bridal March.

Somehow, in all her fantasizing, she dropped her private green notebook. And, as luck would have it, the pages turned to the least opportune page for Luca to see. Being the gentleman he was, Luca had wasted no time in retrieving the notebook for his friend. In his cursory glances, he had spotted his name written next to hers no less than eighty thousand times. His face blanched as he handed Jane's property back to her.

"Jane," he said, gulping down his developing Adam's Apple, "about what you have written there…I don't want you to think of me like that."

"Why?"

"Because I'm…I'm…"

_And so, when Jane was a young girl at the tender age of twelve, she felt her heart break._

_ Back to the present shenanigans, where things with Michael and Rafael are about to heat up…_

Rafael inserted the hotel room's key card into the slot and whipped it out again quick as a striking cobra. Too excited for thought, he did not bother to pick up the card when it slipped from his fingers. His mind could only focus on pulling Michael inside so that they could continue where they had left off. No sooner had the door slammed shut than he pulled the strapping detective close. Their pant-covered groins came into unexpected contact. The mutual hardness sent a message of pleasure to Rafael's mouth. Pushing Michael into the wall, he pecked aggressive kisses all over the blond man's lips and cheeks.

Michael's hand darted to the sixth button on Rafael's shirt and pulled on the fabric. None of the buttons dropped to the floor, but it was a near thing with all the force the detective had used. Rafael awkwardly attempted to free his arms from the shirt while maintaining his kisses, but the tight cuffs made the effort futile. Rafael blushed and laughed along with Michael as he need the other man's help removing his own clothing. Free of the garment, Rafael watched as Michael drank in his figure. From the look in Michael's eyes, Rafael could only guess that the detective approved. A moment later, he felt Michael's tongue caressing him from clavicle to chin.

Intent not to be the only shirtless one in the room, Rafael gripped the suspenders at Michael's shoulders and flicked them away. The brown straps fell to Michael's hips, and his pants lowered half an inch. Only his erect penis had stopped them from dropping completely. That and his resumed humping against Rafael's growing mound. The friction coaxed moans from Rafael and Michael nearly simultaneously. Rafael then ripped the button-down shirt open. This time, they heard plastic plinking on the hardwood floor.

Rafael bent forward and wrapped his lips around Michael's left nipple. Sucking and nipping, he induced the detective to gasp and moan. The epidermal nub stiffened in his mouth. After thirteen seconds of this treatment, Rafael switched to the right nipple and repeated. The blonde's breast shuddered from the enticing sensation. A firm hand latched onto the back of Rafael's head and held him in place for eight more seconds before lifting him back to Michael's red lips.

A sudden shift in their positions allowed gravity to pull Michael's pants down, revealing black boxer briefs. The spandex-cotton blend did nothing to obscure the shape beneath the fabric. As if begging for a release from the constraints, the bulge in Michael's underwear shifted further upward. Rafael smiled as he regarded the muscular form leaning expectantly against the wall. Gliding a finger down the chest, the rich playboy relished the feel of smooth skin all the way down to the navel. Teasingly pulling the elastic waistband away, he slipped a hand inside the other man's shorts. A thick, rod-shaped mass heated his palm. Michael released a silent gasp and threw his head back against the wall. Upon sliding his hand up and down the length of the penis, Rafael realized with glee that that this was no average sized tool. Slowly, he rubbed the phallus beneath the fabric and claimed Michael's lips again.

_By this point, Michael was beginning to see why Jane found a relationship with a trouble-making spoiled brat so appealing._

The feel of underwear sliding down his hairy legs had never felt more sensual. Michael watched as Rafael kneeled so that his nose stood a quarter inch away from the detective's throbbing member. Like most guys, he had measured it before, wondering whether his was smaller than normal. But when a Wikipedia search had revealed that it was normal for a man reaction to measure less than six inches, he smiled and packed away his flaccid eight inches. Somehow know that another man appreciated it just as much aroused him further.

What took Michael by surprise next made him see vibrant fireworks bursting all about the hotel room. Something hot a moist had swallowed his cock. A slurping sound emanated from the mouth responsible. Michael's hands combed through the silky black hair sticking up from Rafael's head. He pushed the head further down his meat and thrust his hips forward at the same moment. Holding the man in place, Michael felt the tip brush against the back of Rafael's throat, and there were still a few centimeters of dick left untouched. Michael pushed the head back and forth along the path of his penis, reveling in the heat and pressure. If he had known pleasure before tonight, Michael did not know how it could possibly compare to these sensations.

The sound of Rafael gagging panicked Michael. Had he been too rough? Somehow, it had never occurred to him that he was normally much gentler with the two women of his past. But the smile from Rafael's lips as he continued to stimulate the dick with his hand reassured Michael that all was well. Rafael plunged down again, this time licking the dorsal side of the penis with an outstretched tongue. Michael could not help but shiver. He could not recall ever having such a slick member in all his life. And before he could begin to contemplate the implications of this encounter, it was over. Rafael stood up and pressed his lips onto Michael's.

Without warning, Rafael spun the two about so that he now leaned with his back to the wall. Michael steadied himself, having nearly tripped over his own pants, still clinging to his legs. He took the opportunity to kick off his shoes and pull the garment from his legs and flung away his fuzzy, black socks for good measure. When he returned his focus to Rafael, he noticed a major difference in appearance. It seemed that Rafael had used Michael's disrobing time to pull down his own pants and polka-dot boxers. Jutting out from the Latin hunk's hips was a pulsating rod at least one inch longer than his own.

"Your turn," Rafael stated with a smirk.

Confused, Michael asked, "For what?"

"You don't think I'm going to do all the work, do you?"

_In fact, Michael did not know what he had expected. But the thought of putting his mouth there…there of all places…was a bit off-putting to say the least. But he wasn't about to let on anything was amiss either._

Reluctantly, Michael sank to his knees, certain that he would ruin everything and make this night one of those anecdotes you tell at parties. He could hear it now: "My worst sexual partner ever? Well, there was this one guy I met…can't even remember his name to be honest… but he had the cock sucking skills of a garbage disposal." Looking back up into Rafael's smiling face, hoping his own did not betray his uncertainty. He placed a hand on the penis. Surprised at how warm it felt, he gripped a bit harder. Tugging a few times on the dick drew out a plaintive whine from above.

Deciding at last to get it over with, he slipped his lips onto the tip and kissed it. The taste was better than he had expected. It was no chocolate sundae, of course, but it was far from disgusting. Venturing further, Michael stuck his tongue out and began licking the sides and top. He continually thought about the different maneuvers Rafael had just used on him and did his best to emulate.

"Mmmm!" Rafael moaned.

Somehow, that noise was enough. No longer could Michael approach this tentatively. He did all he could to take in as much of the penis as possible. It seemed to fill his mouth. It was a fullness that left Michael wanting more. He bobbed his head back and forth along the length, desiring more moans to tickle his ear. Before he knew what was going on, he discovered that he was actually enjoying this. After years of only visualizing girls, he finally felt alive. He found himself moaning with pleasure even as he attempted to fit the whole thing into his mouth.

_And speaking of things to put in our mouths, I'd like to remind you that this is all taking place at a hotel where workers deliver fresh foods all the time. I'm particularly fond of the mojitos. If you ever get the chance to take a room at the Marbella, take full advantage of the room service._

Jane hustled over to Luca with a tray resting on her fingertips. Atop the tray stood two glasses filled with red beverages. There was no question in Luca's mind as to the alcoholic contents. He just wanted to know what job Jane would soon be asking him to do for her. That is not to say he begrudged Jane her requests. He would have built a suspension bridge out of toothpicks and then attempt to cross it if Jane ever asked.

"Could you take this up to Room 1208? I really need to go home and prepare for tomorrow's lessons."

"Anything you need, Jane," Luca replied with a smile.

The elevator ride up the twelve floors was eventful considering the late hour. Then again, any time the Solano family threw a party at the Marbella, it seemed to take patrons an extra two hours before anyone wanted to go to bed. Given the high quantity of parties of late, Luca was actually surprised only to see fifteen guests board and exit the elevator before he reached his destination. Luca knocked on the door, waited for an answer, and delivered the drinks. On his return route, he noticed something odd about one of the doors. Someone had dropped a key card just outside the door.

Luca picked it up and compared the number on the key to that on the door. They matched. He knocked on the door. No one answered. He announced that he was entering, inserted the card, and opened to door. The sight in front of Luca shocked him into silence. Not six feet away from him, his boss stood naked but for the trousers around his ankles. And sucking on his boss's dick was Jane's former flame. He gasped. Michael turned to see who had made the noise, and Rafael's penis chose that moment to ejaculate right into Michael's eye.

_I told you things were about to heat up._

_ To Be Continued…_


	3. La Tercera Parte

_ Here we go again. Jane was a virgin who, through a medical accident, is now pregnant. She is dating Rafael Solano, the father of her unborn child, who is also, unbeknownst to Jane, a bisexual. He recently seduced Jane's ex-fiancé, Michael Cordero, who has been chasing after the big bad who makes big bads look like dullards: Sin Rostro. Sin Rostro, also called The Man Without a Face, has been able to elude detectives like Michael thanks to his anonymity in the criminal world…and his quick impulse to kill whomever mucks up his plans. So anyway, Michael was pleasuring Rafael when that one friend of Jane's, who has until now served little purpose in our story, walked in on the two. In all the excitement, Rafael squirted his man juice into Michael's eye. So that's about it. Let's get right back into it!_

Chapter 9.5

La Tercera Parte

_ When Rafael turned 22, he thought very seriously about coming out to his family. What stopped him, you ask? What stops any man from revealing what he perceives may cause trouble? A mixture of fear and…well…more fear._

Rafael sat at the family table, prodding his rice with a fork but making little effort to ingest it. The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he could not say it yet. Steeling himself to make the big announcement seemed to be more difficult than he had expected. Every scenario flashing through his mind ended with his father's proclamation of disownership or mother drowning in her own tears. One even included Poppa Solano beating him to a bloody pulp. He gulped down another dose of beer. He found himself marveling at the beverage's alternative name: liquid courage. Every sip he took seemed to have the reverse effect.

"Mom? Daddy? I have something to tell you."

They were the words Rafael wanted to say. Yet they had come from his sister's mouth. Had she developed the power to read minds ala Jean Grey?

"What is it my darling?" Poppa Solano asked, quaffing his merlot.

"I'm…I'm…I'm a lesbian."

Red liquid spewed out of Poppa Solano's mouth as if he had become a wine fountain. His white, linen shirt must have paid a high price for the patriarch's surprise, for Rafael never saw it again. "What?!"

"I've been dating a girl for the last six weeks, and I decided that I had to tell you. I can't keep these feelings inside me anymore."

Hearing those clichéd lines reminded Rafael that he had not wanted to unburden himself. Not really. Plus, the furious, fiery eyes in Poppa Solano's sockets looked ready to incinerate the next person who spoke. Momma Solano began to cry. Luisa looked about the table for support, but she found none. Not even from her own brother. Frowning, she hastened to leave the table, disappointed the conversation had not gone better.

"Are we never to have grandbabies?" Momma Solano wept.

Gasping, Rafael came to the conclusion that he must never reveal his secret. Not to anyone. Not ever. His sister would be furious that he had not come to her rescue, father would definitely hate him, and mother would mourn giving up her quondam hopes. He must keep it to himself. So he did.

_His father would later accept Luisa's orientation, but only because she was…a she._

_Skipping ahead a few years and we're back to the present…_

Rafael could not remember seeing any man dress quicker than Michael Cordero. Red-faced and frightened, the blond detective appeared eager to escape from the predicament. But short of shooting Luca on the spot, the chances of that were slim. Based on the way Michael was holding his piece, Rafael guessed the detective was considering that option.

After all these years of keeping the secret, he could not give it up now. With Jane's baby on the way and his father finally beginning to trust him as a businessman, Rafael could not afford to let word get out. That would spoil everything from his divorce to custody of his unborn child. His mind spiraled as it attempted to grasp for a solution. He could not blackmail his own employee, for the truth would eventually out when the strain became too much for Luca. He could not pay the man off either, for Lachlan would surely notice if a male waiter were earning substantially more than any females in the same position. Not to mention all the resulting lawsuits for sexist advancements. What did that leave? Bumping him off? Rafael looked to Michael, who was pacing with one hand on the butt of his gun and the other raking his scalp. No. Killing the man would never do.

"Your name's Luca, isn't it?" Rafael asked as he hitched up his trousers.

Sweat dripping from his hairline, Luca nodded silently at the carpet. Rafael had forgotten the situation must have been just as awkward for the interrupter as for the interruptees. Perhaps even more so.

"I know how that must have looked, Luca, but…" But what? Allowing another man's mouth on one's manhood was not exactly an ambiguous action. "…but I would really appreciate it if you didn't mention this to anyone."

Luca raised his eyes to face his half-naked employer. "You're…you're…but I thought you were with Jane…I thought you…"

"Shit," Rafael whispered. Of all the people to walk in on him, why did it have to be one of Jane's friends? "I was…I was weak, Luca. It didn't mean anything. Can you understand that?"

Michael ceased pacing and stared daggers into Rafael's eyes, though the power was halved thanks to the semen crusting around his left eye and the bridge of his nose. Rafael regretted his words immediately, but he could not backtrack now.

"I want you to give me your word that you won't tell anyone about this," Rafael stated as he buttoned his purple shirt all the way up to his collar.

"Especially not Jane, _right_?" Luca spat the words out as if they were poison barbs.

"Especially not anyone. I don't want this getting out."

Luca asked. "I've been out since I was twelve, and the first person I told was Jane. How can you expect me to keep this from her?"

Rafael paused to consider this. Luca was gay? Perhaps it should have been obvious since he spent all his time with Jane's girlfriends and did not date any of them, but Rafael did not typically make much of an effort to know the people working for him.

_Well, that managerial style was certainly coming back to bite Rafael in the ass._

In his experience, Luca found that men who hid the truth were little more than cowards. Now it seemed that Jane's taste in men was not only poor but also consistent. He would have gone on to tell them so had he not remembered the number of times he had asked others not to judge him. He could not very well continue making that request if he had no intention of doing the same for other people.

"I give you my word that I will not tell a soul," Luca promised. The words made him feel as though too much milk were in his stomach. "But you should at least tell Jane the truth. She will find out eventually, and it'll be better if she hears it from you, Mr. Solano."

Luca did not wait for a response. Even as Rafael opened his mouth, Luca had opened the door and exited. Taking in a deep breath, he attempted to release all his frustration. He exhaled. The anger was still there. A second and third try proved just as fruitless. Resigned to holding on to the feelings indefinitely, he gnashed his teeth and headed for the elevator.

_On the plus side, Luca would not be accused of being overly bubbly tonight._

_If you have ever been intimate with someone, even if your feelings are confused in your mind, then you never want to hear that person say that it all meant nothing. And, knowing Michael the way we do…well…I'm not a fan of spoilers, so let's just see what happens…_

"Why did you say that?" Michael asked, his voice scratchier than a worn DVD.

Rafael either did not hear the question or chose not to answer. Instead, he dug through a drawer in the dresser and pulled out an Oxford with shiny, silver-colored thread. As he tossed the garment to Michael, he recommended a wardrobe change. "Your suspenders really don't go well with plaid anyway."

While Michael had forgotten all about the popped buttons, he could not allow his mind to lose focus. "Am I really nothing to you?"

"By the way, Mike, you've still got cum on your eye. You'll probably want to wash it off before you go."

Now Michael was sure which had been the case. He hated it when people ignored him. Jane had been guilty of it when she started having feelings for Rafael, and Billy never gave him a second thought except when he needed money. Even his own parents had left him to his own devices most of his childhood. But he would not stand for it this time. "Answer me!" he growled.

Rafael sneered back at him. "Were you this clingy around Jane? No wonder she couldn't wait to get rid of you!"

"Don't you dare bring her into this!"

"She was always involved!" Rafael screamed. "You were only interested because you thought you could use it to keep me away from her. You said it yourself. You're waiting for me to slip so Jane can see what I'm really like. Well guess what? You overplayed your hand! Now if you tell Jane I'm gay, she'll want to know how you know. And how are you going to answer? Surely you won't want to admit that you sucked my d-"

Michael's fist, powered by pure rage, smashed Rafael's left cheek. When the pain in his wrist diminished slightly, Michael realized what he had done and regretted losing control. Surely the hotel owner had only been baiting him. But rationality does not often win out when anger becomes too much to bear. Instinctively, he guarded his chin with both fists, anticipating the inevitable retaliation.

Wiping a splatter of blood away from his lips, Rafael grinned. "Ooh! Did I hit a nerve? You actually liked having my meat in your mouth, didn't you? Well, I guess we'll never know if you'll ever improve your technique. Just a friendly tip, most guys don't like it when you use your teeth."

"Shut up, or you'll lose a few," Michael muttered.

"Why does it matter what I think anyway?" Rafael asked. "You must have known this was just a one-time thing, right? I mean, I'm destined to inherit billions. I've got a baby on the way, and Jane is all mine. And who are you? Just some upstart detective who's broken so many regulations, he ought to be busted down to beat cop."

Michael let fly a flurry of punches, landing a few before receiving several in return. The force of one blow knocked the blonde to his back. He crashed into a glass coffee table on the way down. Unlike such furniture pieces one sees in the movie, the glass did not shatter. Instead, it left Michael feeling like he had fallen from two stories. Rafael took advantage of his weak opponent and struck him in the face three times before backing off.

Trying to speak, Michael's voice sounded garbled. He spat out a glob of blood, and he tried to maneuver away. The effort left him exhausted, breathing heavily. At any moment, he might endure another onslaught. Unwilling to be bested by a mere playboy, Michael drew himself up even though very few parts of his body felt undamaged.

"Are you finished with your little pity party now?" Rafael asked. "Or do I need to demonstrate my boxing skills a little more?"

Enraged, Michael charged, but his tackle missed, and Rafael pushed him headlong into a wall.

_At this point, Michael decided it was time to enroll in a kickboxing class at the Y._

Rafael hated fighting like this, especially when he knew how ill-prepared his foe was. But how else was he to convince Michael to give up on any future involvement. In truth, he had enjoyed being with the detective more than any other partner. The intensity and aggressiveness were unmatched.

But Rafael had been lucky that only Luca had caught the two. Had it been one of father's men…he did not even want to think of the results. At the very least, he would be out on his ass without a job.

"I'm doing you a favor, you know," Rafael claimed. "Were you even ready to come out to the world? After just one experience? Were you ready for your friends and family to look at you with that look they give when they _think_ someone is abnormal but are unwilling to actually say it? No. And then there's your job. How do you think your fellow cops would react when they find out you suck cock? At best, they'll only haze you for the rest of your life."

Michael did not respond for a full minute. Then, with a grunt, he whispered something inaudible.

"What's that?"

"I…_hate_…you…"

"Then we're no better off than when we started," Rafael conceded. "Now get the fuck out of my hotel."

_Well, things could have gotten a lot worse. At least no one was murdered._

The elevator doors opened to Billy and Lina. The two kissed as they stepped inside. Lina absentmindedly pressed the number 6. As the doors closed, Billy shoved his girlfriend up against the wall and forcefully pressed his lips against hers. As Lina adjusted her leg to avoid tripping, she kicked a large, soft lump of some kind. Whatever it was, it did not belong in an elevator. Curious, she dropped her gaze to investigate.

Directly beneath Billy's feet, a pool of some red liquid was expanding toward the elevator doors. It must have been a thick substance, for Billy's shoes and Lina's heels had left marks. Investigating further, she found the source. She screamed.

"Luca!"

Billy giggled and said, "No, silly. I'm Billy. Hey, that rhymes. See? Silly-Bil – Ah!"

Slumped against the elevator's corner, Luca sat with a letter opener jammed into his throat. An expression of mingled fear and surprise were frozen in his open, unmoving eyes.

_Perhaps I spoke too soon._

_To Be Continued…_


	4. La Cuarta Parte

_ In case you've forgotten, Jane Villanueva was a virgin accidentally inseminated with Rafael Solano's unborn child. Rafael has been known to sleep with both men and women…well, not really known since he keeps it a secret, but you get the point. Most recently, he seduced Jane's ex-fiancé, Michael Cordero, but they were caught by one of Jane's friends, Luca. Afterwards, Michael and Rafael had a fight, and Rafael really kicked ass. Michael, along with his partner, Nadine Hansan, has also been investigating a murderous drug kingpin who's taken on the moniker of Sin Rostro, but the trail ran cold when the two detectives could not find a mysterious guy who was in a shipping crate for some reason. Also, to everyone's shock, Billy and Lina found Luca dead in a hotel elevator shortly after he confronted Rafael and Michael. But, such is life at the Marbella._

Chapter 9.5

La Cuarta Parte

_They say you never forget your first time. I don't really know who "they" are, but I can assure you that "they" are right. If you don't believe me, just ask Nadine Hansan. She investigated her first murder when she was 23, and it…wait, you thought I was talking about sex? The dirty minds who watch telenovela, I tell you! In any case, Nadine's first homicide investigation still haunts her to this day._

"They found her in a dumpster an hour ago," Nadine explained to Detective Lopez. "I hope you didn't have a heavy breakfast, ma'am."

Nadine's warning was well-founded, for her beat partner, Officer Joe DiCaprio, had evacuated his stomach shortly after reaching the scene. It could have been either a reaction to the acrid odor, a mixture of sour milk, sulfur, and decomposing flesh, lingering in the air or the foul corpse itself. The body had been cut into six pieces and arranged haphazardly, as if dumped out of a trash bag.

"Poor thing," Detective Lopez declared. "Has the M.E. seen her already?"

"Not yet, but I did notice a brand burned into her arm. Do you see it?"

For a while, Nadine heard nothing but the ambient city noises. It did not seem right to her that life went on as if nothing were amiss, yet she could not force everyone to give up their lives to mourn a stranger's death either.

"Ah, crap," the detective muttered.

"Pardon?"

"Crap-crap-crap-crap-and-double-crap!" Lopez repeated. "Do you see how the brand looks sorta like a head with no face?"

Nadine squinted her eyes. She could not quite make out what Detective Lopez was talking about. "Uh huh."

"That is Sin Rostro's symbol."

"Oh," Nadine had replied, her nose scrunched. She wanted nothing more than to be anywhere but here. "Who's Sin Rooster?"

_Fast forward to the present…_

Slinking away unseen proved impossible no thanks to a text from Nadine. When the phrase "fresh body" appeared next to "Marbella," Michael Cordero cursed the night, for it almost certainly would never end. Even stranger, when he tried calling up the elevator, nothing happened. His groan shifted into a growl. Taking the stairs would be exhausting, especially considering he stood 11 floors above ground level. Grumbling with every step, he recalled how humiliating his fight with Rafael had been.

"What took you so long?" Nadine asked. "I thought you said you were already…what happened to your face? You look like you picked a fight with a saber-tooth tiger."

"Thanks," Michael replied, his tone as dry as he could make it. He could not afford to let his partner see just how much pain he felt. Else, she might demand an explanation. And, as hurtful as Rafael's words had been, Michael knew that he really was not ready to share his new-found liking for the male anatomy. "What have we got?"

Though not distracted from her curiosity, Nadine did not press the issue. "It looks like Sin Rostro strikes again. Another one of the employees. Single stab to the neck is the apparent cause of death, but the M.E. should have more for us later."

"An employee?" Michael gasped. The thought of Jane sprawled out on the floor with a silver dagger sticking out her neck would not leave his mind fast enough. "Have we IDed him?"

"It's a…" Nadine thumbed through her notes to confirm before speaking. The action took what seemed to Michael three decades. "…Luca Alverez."

Michael could not walk or think or breathe. The name echoed in his ears. He could see Luca walking in on he and Rafael all over again. The idea of being caught had actually aroused him at the time before he remembered what the consequences could be. How could that same man have died? At once, he knew who had committed the murder. There was motive and opportunity and…no proof whatsoever. He couldn't even provide a rational explanation without revealing the night's activities. Not if he wanted to stay on the case, that is.

"Mike?" Nadine called, concerned. "Did you know him?"

"A little," he answered. It was not exactly a lie. Aside from that night's meeting, he might have met Luca twice.

"You look a bit…"

Michael waited a few seconds to find out exactly how he looked, but he never found out. At that moment, Rafael Solano emerged, demanding to know what had happened. The swelling left cheek and bruising on the hotel owner inspired Michael to check out the damage to his own face. A reflective surface revealed a cut at the base of his brow where blood had solidified in mid-stream. His whole face looked like a gigantic bruise.

"Ah, crap," Nadine said. "Tell me you didn't do it Michael."

"Do what?" he asked. The more innocent he tried to sound, the guiltier Nadine found him.

Her eyes were a laser burrowing into his brain. "You were fighting with Rafael, weren't you?"

Michael's first impulse to deny incited a hawkish stare of unbelief. "The copper doth protest too much, methinks," Nadine objected, leading Michael outside. Her determination would not be placated. "Tell me the truth this second or I go to the captain with a request for a new partner."

The temptation to tell Nadine what she could do with her request was not without its appeal. He was on the cusp of doing just that when something unexpected came out of his mouth. "I was with Rafael tonight."

"I'd worked that much out for myself," Nadine countered, ready to cut down whatever crap he might throw at her.

"You don't get it," Michael objected. "I was _with_ him."

For a minute, Michael was certain she had understood. The appearance of realization in her eyes was unfakeable. The subsequent fit of laughter, however, unhinged his certainty. How could one respond to a friend exposing secrets by cackling?

"Okay, you've had your laugh," Nadine giggled. "Now tell me what really happened. Were you fighting over Jane again? Did he tell you she actually let him fuck her? Tell me what happened or leave. Which is it gonna be?"

Hissing his exasperation, Michael told her to forget it before stalking off.

_Well, what do you know? Sometimes telling the truth really doesn't pay off!_

Rafael watched the medical examiners load the corpse into a zip-up bag that was a little too long for Luca's body. Disturbing as the sight was, he felt so much relief as the only witness to his indiscretion would not live to tell a soul. Wondering if that feeling would cause him to feel guilt, he headed toward the Marbella's bar. Along the way, he spotted Jane sitting alone on a bench and emptying her tear ducts into her hands.

Putting aside his own needs, Rafael sat beside his girlfriend and silently put an arm around her shoulder. He could feel her body tense up for a moment before recognition kicked in. Moments later, Jane was staining his clean oxford with tears. Feeling like the most important man in the world, Rafael squeezed her affectionately and held her there long after the last hotel guest discovered what all the excitement was about.

When at long last, Jane recovered enough to sit up, she looked into her boyfriends eyes with an expression of horror. "What happened to your face?"

"You should see the other guy," he joked before he could catch himself. "And by other guy, I mean coffee table."

The lie came as naturally as breathing. Jane managed a weak smile before her dread flipped it once more. "It's my fault," she admitted. "I was supposed to take those drinks upstairs, but I needed to work on lesson plans. Luca was always so…so easy to…he was always ready to help a friend. And it got him killed."

Rafael regarded the tile floor, too afraid to look into Jane's red and bleary eyes. "I don't know who would have done this, Jane, but I promise you this. Luca's killer will pay. I don't know how or when, but he will regret the day he set foot in this hotel."

The crying did not end there, but Jane threw her arms around his neck and pulled him close. For the briefest moment, Rafael felt at peace. That moment ended when he realized that the rough, powerful hug reminded him of Michael. He could feel a stiffening discomfort in his pants that he could cure with a little fidgeting, but that would arouse Jane's suspicions. His mind scrambled as he searched for a reasonable way to excuse himself.

_Awkward does not begin to describe this encounter. And from here, the awkward does not diminish. After all, where would a telenovela be without awkward? Did I just use that word three times? Well…that's awkward!_

"Hey! You alright?"

There are some questions one can only hear so many times in an hour before losing control. For Michael, "you alright?" was reaching its limit fast. All he wanted to do was finish his drink in peace. Unfortunately, there are only two types of people at bars: those who do not want to talk and those who insist on it. This stranger had all the makings of the second type.

"You look like a big ol' grape that someone accidently sat on."

"Mhmm," Michael agreed as he took a healthy swig of his lager.

"So who was it? Your wife beating yeh up?"

Michael showed off his ringless right hand as an answer. He supposed there might be a few guys here who would take off their wedding rings to pick up women on the side, but he doubted they would find much success in a place like this. The atmosphere had a decidedly musky feel to it, accentuated by the pool table with holes in the green cloth, tobacco smoke so thick it would take an hour to dissipate, and biker jackets on half the patrons. Michael had a feeling that cops were not usually a welcome sight based on two patrons wearing t-shirts that said "FUCK THE POLICE."

"Never seen yeh in here before," the stranger continued, unrelenting.

"That may be because," Michael replied as he slammed his drink onto the bar, "I've never been in here before."

"Ah…" the stranger replied. There was a victorious quality to the noise, as if he had bet his buddies three hundred bucks that he could get the blond bruise to talk. "Well this don't seem like your kinda place anyhow."

Looking over at the speaker, Michael examined the black-haired, muscle-laden man leaning on his fist, his elbow resting on the bar. The brown eyes were duller than Rafael's, but they were not his best feature either. The man's toothy smile was surrounded by a thick beard. It wasn't a _Duck Dynasty_ beard either, but a well-groomed one, perfect for showing off a rugged quality without appearing apathetic. He wore a black shirt and black leather jacket with the words "Ride Free" sewed onto the sleeves. The stranger seemed to represent everything that Michael was not: carefree, powerful, and happy.

"I just came in here for a quick beer," Michael explained. "That's all."

"Now, now, hold on a sec," the stranger protested, holding up both hands as if in surrender. "I'm just tryin' t'figure yeh out. I mean, yeh come in here lookin' like yeh picked a fight with a sidewalk. I figure there's a good story in there somewhere."

"Well, to make a long story short, I hate my ex's new boyfriend."

"Ouch!" the stranger commented, wincing as if he had been on the receiving end of Rafael's punches. "Hey, Gilroy, git my friend here somethin' stronger."

Gilroy, the barkeep, took down a bottle of suspiciously dark liquor and poured it into a shot glass. Michael heard the glass scraping across the wooden bar before he had a chance to decline. Not bothering to question, Michael lifted the glass to his lips and drained every drop in one go. A younger version of himself might have had a coughing fit at this point, but he had put away enough alcohol to know what to expect. All the same, he still found himself letting out a gasp as the burning liquid raced into his stomach.

"Thanks," Michael said.

"The name's Corey," said Corey.

His tongue loosed at last, Michael gave his name as well. Something about talking to Corey had allowed the blond detective to let his guard down. But was it the beer or Corey himself?

"So what is it you do, Michael who hates his ex's boyfriend?"

Michael picked up his bear glass again and whispered the answer into the beverage. "Detective."

"Oh," Corey chuckled. "You're definitely in the wrong place m'man! I got six friends over there who'd pick a fight wichoo just because yer a cop."

"Then I'm glad I'm not talking to one of them," Michael commented.

Two seconds later, Corey let out a burst of laughter and clapped Michael on the back. It was all Michael could do not to flinch. "You're a witty one, ain't yeh?"

"So what do you do, Corey?" Michael asked. "You know, aside from buying drinks for people who've been beat up?"

"I work construction by day and ride with my boys by night."

The two talked for some time, indulging in a few more shots along the way. Michael laughed so much as he became more acquainted with Corey, not realizing it was the first time he had done so since the break-up. Five minutes later, however, he found himself in need of a toilette. He made his excuses and walked toward the lavatory. After finishing his business, he stepped out of the stall and found Corey waiting for him.

"I'll be out in a second," Michael assured him.

Before he knew what was happening, Corey had locked his massive arms around Michael's body and pressed a sloppy kiss onto his new acquaintance's lips. Michael struggled, trying to extricate himself from the hold, but nothing seemed to be working. Corey's mustache and beard tickled Michael's bare skin around his mouth. The hard-on in the biker's black leather pants rocked into the cop's groin, sparking an immediate reaction.

When the kiss broke off, Michael asked, "What the hell was that about?"

"What?" Corey asked. "You didn't like it?"

"I didn't say that."

"'Cause your chubby seems to be saying otherwise. I saw the way you were checking me out back there. Don't deny it."

_While denying the truth seems to be something at which Michael excels, it doesn't look like he'll be exercising that skill for the next twenty minutes or so._

_To Be Continued…_


	5. Quinta Parte

_ What's going on you ask? I'll tell you. Jane was a virgin who has been accidentally inseminated with Rafael's child, which caused a whole shitload of problems for everyone involved. For one thing, it got Jane's one-time fiancé all hot and bothered so that he acted quite irrationally and then lied about it. Jane found out and broke it off with him. More recently, Rafael and Michael shared a moment that broke the sexual tension. They were discovered by Luca and then reverted to trying to beat each other up. Luca died, likely at the hands of Sin Rostro, who has already murdered two other people. Michael thinks that Rafael is Sin Rostro, and Jane and Rafael think Michael is just jealous. Michael later tried to come out to his partner, but she laughed it off as a joke. He then went to a bar wear a bear named Corey is coming onto him. And if that isn't bad enough, Jane's Abuela was recently pushed down the stairs by Petra's mom, who everyone thought was bound to a wheelchair. But guess what! She isn't. Surprise surprise! Whew! Too much to take in? Sorry, but hey, you asked!_

Chapter 9.5

Quinta Parte

_When Michael was a small boy, he learned a very important lesson from his older brother._

Wearing a green dragon mask, Michael lugged a pillowcase through the front door. Until tonight, he had never believed that so many Kit Kat bars, Milkyways, and Gummi Bears could weigh so much. Upon closing the door behind him, Michael rushed to his brother's bedroom to show off his loot. In one quick motion, he did something he later would come to wish had never happened. The door slammed open, revealing the most hideous sight. A naked girl was sitting on top of Billy, also without clothes. At the time, Michael thought the two must be very uncomfortable because they kept moaning and shifting about.

Having heard the noise, Billy turned to face his brother and screamed, "Close the door! Fucking perv!"

Michael complied without question. Dropping his candy sack, he wrestled the dragon mask off his head and dashed to the bathroom. He threw up the toilette lid and proceeded to vomit. The taste of acidic chocolate curbed his appetite for the rest of his stash. His session over the bowl lasted a whole minute. Body shaking, Michael gasped for breath. After some time of huddling over the porcelain throne, Michael flushed and brushed his teeth. But nothing seemed to get the image of that girl's small breasts bouncing up and down out of his mind.

_And here's what is happening right now._

When the kiss broke off, Michael asked, "What the hell was that about?"

"What?" Corey asked. "You didn't like it?"

"I didn't say that."

"'Cause your chubby seems to be saying otherwise. I saw the way you were checking me out back there. Don't deny it."

Corey swooped in for an encore kiss, but Michael stopped him with a hand. "Not here," he whispered. "I never do anything where anyone could walk in on me."

Corey smiled uncertainly. It was far from the objection he had expected. "Who d'ya think'll barge in on us?"

_His brother. Jane. One of the guys at the bar who hates cops._

"No one," Michael claimed. "I just don't like the possibility."

"The excitement don't turn yeh on, huh?"

_Meanwhile, excitement of another kind was taking place at the Marbella._

There were three thoughts Nadine could not shake. One, who would kill an innocent hotel waiter? Two, how was Rafael Solano connected? Three, why are the crab cakes so expensive? It was on these thoughts she pondered when she heard Officer Chauncey call in the medical emergency.

"We've got a woman collapsed in the western stairwell. Get paramedics here right away."

Her first thought after hearing the radio call was that it had nothing to do with her investigation, so why should it concern her? Her next one was, "Why are my legs taking me to the western stairwell?"

Compared to the elevator crime scene, there was far less blood and gore around the old woman who lay unmoving at the bottom of the steps. Aside from the steady, rhythmic rising and falling of her chest, there was little evidence that the person was any more alive than Luca Alverez. She must have been involved at the party which had been taking place earlier at the hotel that night, for she was decked out in a cocktail dress. It certainly made her look younger than her age.

"Do we have a name for her?" Nadine asked.

"No ID that I could find," Chauncey replied. "No driver's license, passport, or anything."

"Thank you, officer. I know what an ID is."

The beat cop held up his hands as if in surrender and made a sound similar to an exasperated race horse. "I'm just saying that unless she wakes up, we're gonna have a hell of a time finding her next of kin."

"How long have you had your job?"

"Eight months, ma'am."

"Eight months?" Nadine repeated.

"I know. Not very long right?"

"No," Nadine agreed. "Do you want to make it to nine?"

Officer Chauncey stared back at her as if she had managed to grow an extra eight eyes. Perhaps it was the way in which she had asked the question. Usually threats like that carry with them a tone of hostility, but Nadine had kept her tone even as though asking if he wanted to upgrade his fries to a large.

"Um…"

"Then I'd suggest you use your eyes before you speak."

_Of course, not everyone is suited to the job of detective. But even I don't know what Nadine Hansan is talking about, and I'm the one telling the story!_

_Elsewhere in the hotel, more drama was going on. Well, I guess "drama" is too vague a word since that shit is always going on. Otherwise, you'd be watching _Real Housewives of Blow-My-Brains-Out_ instead. This is more of a family matter._

Rafael braced himself against the chair's back and closed his eyes. The noise coming from his father's mouth worked on his ears like a grater on cheese. No one liked to be associated with murder, but the way Poppa Solano was acting, Rafael had orchestrated all three deaths just to piss off everyone involved with the family business. Of course, when father put it like that, Rafael felt rather like a character from _The Godfather_.

"What do I have to do to get this through that thick skull of yours?" asked Poppa Solano. "The hotel business is not one of your little Brazil getaways. You cannot just act without thinking."

Gritting his teeth together, Rafael felt the need to speak up and say anything that would shut his father's flapping gums. But what could he say? That he'd just gotten the fourth-best blowjob of his life from a man not an hour ago? That his pregnant girlfriend is actually a virgin? Nothing good was coming to mind, so he stood in silence, waiting for all the frustration to vent. Based on previous experience, however, that could take years. By the time Poppa Solano mentioned Lachlan's name a second time, Rafael decided tuning out the prattle would be the best course.

Now caught in his own thoughts, Rafael allowed his mind to go back to the moment the hotel room door clicked open. That had been his last moment of happiness. He had then shot his happiness into Michael's eye. Why on Earth had Luca even entered his room? What could have possessed the man to do that? What if that interruption had been the reason for Luca's death? But that did not make sense. The only other person who knew of Luca's visit had been Michael. And if Michael had wanted to kill someone, wouldn't he have used his gun? His gun that forensics could easily link back to one of their own.

"Ah, shit," Rafael whispered. Could his tryst with Michael have made a murderer out of a mild-mannered detective?

"What was that?" asked Poppa Solano. "I can assure you that none of this is bull shit!"

Before Rafael could formulate a response, his cell phone vibrated in his pocket. Relieved to hear any voice other than his father's, he asked to know the good news. What he heard, however, was anything but good. One of his guests had fallen down a flight of stairs, and his security team wanted to know how to handle curious crowds.

"Dammit," Rafael muttered. "Don't do anything. I'm coming."

_Of course, we know exactly what Rafael will find. Because he is already familiar with the Villanueva family, he will have no trouble identifying Jane's poor Abuela. And that, of course leaves us where Episode 10 picks up._

_The End._

_ Oh, alright, I'll let you in on what happened with Michael and Corey._

The Comfort Inn was a six minute drive away from the biker bar, and Michael found no reason not to go through with it. In a few days, he might think of something, but that would come later. Like Scarlett O'Hara, he could think about that tomorrow. What captured his attention for the nonce was the amount of time Corey had been spending at the front desk acquiring a key. _Does it usually take this long,_ he wondered. This was not the Marbella, after all. Calling in a reservation ahead of time was far from mandatory.

Perhaps it was the erection straining anxiously against his pant zipper which made the wait last three eternities. In any case, he wasted no time listening to Corey report which room they would be able to take care of their business. Cupping a hand against the bearded cheek, Michael stamped on a series of quick, needy kisses. Tasting jalapeños from the bar's cheesy nachos, he stuck out his tongue for a deeper smooch. That was when he felt the hand squeezing his groin. Sparks erupted before Michael's eyes as a dribble of pre-cum oozed from his penis. He was almost tempted to allow Corey to release his member right there in the parking lot before he remembered the room awaiting them not thirty yards away.

Intentionally interrupting their moment did not sit well with the detective, but it left Corey grinning. They exited Michael's car, a key card tapping rhythmically against Corey's fingernails. It could have been "Smoke on the Water" or Beethoven's fifth for all Michael knew. All he cared about was using that card so that their private exploits could commence. When they were a mere two feet away, Michael felt something pinching his left buttock. He opened his mouth to moan, but Corey seized the opportunity to connect their open mouths one last time before entering their room.

Uncertain hands explored Corey's muscled, leather clad back. It was not until Michael felt fingers prodding the crevice between his cheeks that he lost all sense of fear. Somehow, the probing taking place through his trousers made it all right. He forgot all about the shiners Rafael had given him two hours before. In fact, the rendezvous had never even happened. Right now, with Corey, was all that mattered. This was his _real_ first time with a man.

Michael heard the hotel room's door beep and then a click. Corey hastily flung the door open and practically carried the detective inside. The nine backwards steps Michael took to the bed were filled with allowing a tongue to lick his teeth and taste buds. Transferring saliva from one mouth to the other resulted in a bridge of mucus connecting their lips when Corey broke off the kiss. Seconds later, the blond detective's back landed on the firm mattress. The weight of the large biker pinned Michael in place as Corey straddled his partner's hips.

Buttons strained against their threads as they were roughly ripped from their holes. Corey's excitement to remove the borrowed garment left Michael unable to move his arms. His lack of mobility frightened him at first, but then lips closed around his left nipple. Arching his back to grant better access, Michael released a moan reminiscent of a milk cow having its udders relieved. The sensations this biker drew from him only grew more arousing as time went on. A rough hand toyed with his groin, massaging the tool that wanted to be free of its constraints.

As if by telepathy, Corey granted Michael's desire, unfastening the button on his trousers and pulling down the zipper. The hairy man in leather dismounted the bed, removed Michael's loafers, and tugged at the pant legs until they were left unoccupied. Next, the black boxer briefs slid away and landed in a pile with the trousers. Michael's dick slapped against his abs as he struggled to sit up. Somehow, wearing just a silver oxford was still too much.

Corey's eyes drank in the sight of Michael in his epidermal suit. Michael could not hold back the smile as he watched the biker's jaw dropping and not remembering to close. His time chasing down criminals had required that he maintain a certain physique, but it was nice to see all the work was appreciated for other reasons.

At that moment, Corey decided to strip himself to a similar state of nakedness. Teasingly slow, he removed the black leather jacket and held it aloft with two fingers before allowing the garment to drop. He then pulled the black t-shirt over his head, revealing a furry chest with more muscle than Michael could claim. The biker's tummy was not as well-defined, but he did not have a round gut either. He kicked off dusty low-cut boots. Last, he pulled down his black leather pants and yellow boxers in one motion. When he stood up straight, the sight of Corey's erection caused Michael to salivate. Surrounded by a bush of black hair, the dick curved slightly to the right near the top, giving it the illusion of being longer than its nine inches.

Without giving a second thought, Michael dropped to his knees and attempted to swallow the whole thing at once. The pubic hair tickled his nose every time Michael descended. His tongue lapped at the phallus hungrily. Veins throbbed as the penis became harder in his mouth. Fingers tousled through his hair. His journey up and down Corey's mast quickened with every trip.

Suddenly, the hands holding Michael by the hair pull back on the detective's head until his mouth was empty. For an instant, all the happiness of the encounter vanished, threatening never to return. Michael resisted the hands, trying to engulf the cock once more with his mouth, but the hands were unyielding.

"Let me have a turn," Corey insisted, pulling his mate up to eye level.

Before Michael could think of a response, he felt Corey's lips pecking at his jaw. Facial hair tickled the bare skin on Michael's face, and warm saliva dripped down his neck. Michael could not remember what he was about to say. He might have even wondered if he knew how to speak had his mind allowed him to think of anything other than the rugged man who was even now sensuously bending to his knees, licking Michael's torso as he went.

Michael's head shot back so that his eyes stared up at the popcorn ceiling. His mouth trembled as he tried to avoid moaning, but his vocal chords would not cooperate. Anyone who saw only the detective from the shoulders up might have thought invisible fireworks had entranced him. All memory of his fight with Rafael, even the events leading up to that fight, disappeared. This moment, perhaps the best of his life thus far, allowed no room for any other.

Slurping noises from below caused Michael to look down at Corey's work. He gasped as his penis slowly entered and exited the biker's mouth. Michael usually preferred to a much faster pace when receiving blowjobs, but that desire seemed ridiculous now. The thought that his dick could provide so much pleasure for another man simply aroused him further. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the warmth caressing his member.

Then, all at once, the pleasure ceased. Michael glanced down and watched as Corey commenced sucking on his own right index finger.

"What are you doing?" Michael asked.

The finger made a popping noise as Corey removed it from his mouth. "Makin' sure yer prepped."

"Prepped?"

"Ye'll see," Corey replied, reinserting his finger. Globs of mucous glistened on the digit as he continued to moisten it.

After a short while, Corey grunted as if to say it had been enough and reengaged himself with licking and sucking on Michael's shaft. The detective could feel himself re-stiffening at once. The lapse in action had not been long, but Michael still felt it had been too much time. As he rediscovered the joys of being inside Corey's mouth, a strange sensation poked at him. Corey's hands had been occupied with spreading his posterior apart. Now, something was invading the hole in his butt. At first, he wondered if he was simply imagining it, but the feeling came again. Corey was trying to stick that slick finger into his asshole. Stimulation from the front eased the feeling of discomfort somewhat, but he could not ignore having a foreign object sliding into his rear.

"What are you…what are you doing?" Michael asked. Even he thought it was a rather stupid question after he had asked it.

"Ye've got a nice ass there, buddy," Corey replied. "I jus' wanna be inside it."

"I've never…uh! ...done anything like that."

Pressure returned and lingered, inching its way inward. Corey's grin and mischievous eyes calmed Michael enough so that he began to allow his muscle to relax. Friction between finger and anus surprised the detective with its appeal. Perhaps the spittle's slick nature had something to do with the ease of movement. It may not have been the best feeling in the world, but he could not deny that he enjoyed it all the same.

Still, he had doubts that he should allow this to continue. _What would Jane say if she saw me now?_ Michael's penis jolted at the feel of taste buds brushing across the surface. _Who's Jane again?_

Soon after, Corey asked Michael to sit on the edge of the Comfort Inn bed. Its cotton white comforter made the box spring feel like an enormous pillow. So when Corey pushed Michael onto his back, no complaint left his mouth. Only resting on a non-stick marshmallow couch would have been more relaxing, but there was no time to think about that. No sooner had Michael's head fall onto the bed than did he feel something lifting his legs into the air. A warm wetness infiltrated his butt hole.

All at once, Michael burst out laughing. He knew that he should be moaning some form of encouragement, but his mind was otherwise occupied.

"What's wrong?" Corey asked.

"Now I know what an ice cream cone feels like," Michael replied, chuckling.

_So…yeah…that happened. In case you are wondering, no one wants to hear their work compared to something you do at Baskin Robins. Especially not when things are getting intimate. It sort of kills the mood. And that is just what Michael's words did for Corey. Moments later, Michael was all alone in a Comfort Inn, naked and horny with no one to help._

_So I guess this isn't the end after all…_

_AKA_

_To Be Continued…_


End file.
